Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-06-14
Tuesday, jane ~, 1887.
A MIsGOvERNED COUNTRY.

A MIsGOvERNED COUNTRY.
The evidence that the Manitoba has
very little TO gain from her connection
with the Dominion does not oil depend
on the policy Of the Canadian govern
msnt In the matter of railroad compe.
tition. There 10 q department Of EN-.
migration In the Ottawa government
which has been sustained by enormous
expenditures. The estimates for this
department were up for discussion In
the Canadian parliament the other
day. based upon the claims Of an enor-
NOUS immigration into Manitoba and
the north west. II happened, however,
that the census for 1885 10 now avail
able. and the figures are very embar-
rsssing to the government emmigra-
tion agents.. According to the ensus
of 1881 there were $4,000 whites In
Manitoba and all the northwest terri
tory put together. 1t Is estimated that
the natural increase since tina: time
would amount to about $500. The
census report for 1885 shows a popula-
ton Of lis. 495 whites. so that after de-
Quoting the natural increase Of 66, 900.
theme gain from immigr ation for
five years was only 44,O95. This does
not seem like much OF an immigration
for six years into Q new country Of
such vast extent, but Its insignificance
is the more keenly appreciated In
OF the numbers which the emmjgrs-
tion department claims to have sent
west. and the enormous sums ofmoney
expended in emigration work. In
1881, % lO0l persons were reported by
the emmigration department TO have
settled In Manitoba and the northwest.
in 1882, 5s,75l; in 1888. 4 l ,772; in 1884,
24,240; in 1885. 7,240; In 1885, 1889; 10
in oil; In six years. according u the
Official reports, l66.5s3 in Manitoba
and the northwest, but according to
the census, II there ever were that
many emigrants sent into the coun-
try, only A,095 remained. while l22.-
900 have either deserted" 10 other
countries or else the government re-
ports are false and the people never
went into the north invest. IL 10 prob
ably true that many have deserted
into Dakota and Montana, but it Is
also probable that the emigration de.
partment never sent half the emf.
grants to to the northws est they claim
to have sent, aud that the govern.
ment has been systematically robbed
through that department. How much
has been stolen aud how much hon.
estly, though foolishly. expended does
not appear, but the official reports are
quoted as follows: In 1881 the expen.
diture upon emigration was $25O, Sl2;
In 1881, s253, O0G; In 1883, $427 900; In
1884, 1915, 900; 1885, $500, 900; 1886, $347,.
900. and In the the six years for the
headquarters at Ottawa, $4O0. 900; total,
$2,67s, sl2; the net result OF which is
5000 emigrsnts. Canada is certainly
paying high for actual settlers; SOL so
apiece Is a big price when 122 900 leave
to spread bad reports about the coun-
try. But, of course. no n believes
that any such numper Of enigrants
was ever sent to the northwest. A
great fraud has been perpetrated, but
when the opposition presumed to
criticise this wasteful expenditure,
and to demand al investigation, the
government accused IL OF want Of pat
riotism. Patriotism, In the Troy view,
seems to consist In taking whatever
the government gives, and In being
thankful for what iyou get. The ex.
posure of the emigration steal, howev.
or throws some additional light on the
Manitoba situation and helps to ex.
plain why the provincial government
should be the more willing to defy
the Dominion government In the
pending railroad controversy. What
this greatly misgoverned province
needs lie more Independence 10 trade
from the Dominion and closer relations
with the United States, and the most
important step In trat direction is the
proposed new road TO the boundary
Minneapolis Journal.